79 Parts is a 2019 crime comedy about a down-and-out law student who goes to hilarious – and deadly – lengths to pay his school tuition.
Sometimes the gimmick is the thing. Think of those old ‘Smell-o-vision” flicks of the ’60s or the 3 possible endings of Clue to name only a few. Many movies roll them out, hoping to give their project something unique enough to pull people in, even if it can also be a distraction (remember those hairstyles in American Hustle?). With director Ari Taub‘s latest effort, it’s time travel. Well, not exactly. His independent crime comedy is set in 1970s and for all the limitations he’s got to deal with, sure makes it seems like we’re there. It’s probably the best thing going for this low budget caper that features wacky characters, a wackier plot, a groovy soundtrack, and plenty of bell bottoms.
It’s 1979 Brooklyn, and Jack Anderson (Ryan O’Callaghan) is up to his ears in college student loan debt. It’s not that he wants to be a lawyer, art is his true passion, but his dear old dad Doug (Eric Roberts) is in jail for embezzlement and Jack wants to try and get him out (though his mother – Sandra Bernhard – might know more where the money actually is). However, unable to pay his tuition, Jack won’t get his degree, so he heads to the banks for more money but you can guess how that goes. That leaves it up to his pal, and fellow student, Gino (Johnny Solo), a horse betting friend with an Irish ‘Uncle’ named Dennis Slattery (Aidan Redmond), owner of a seedy chop shop, who offers a loan with some tough stipulations. Naturally, nothing goes as planned and poor Jack, who’s also hoping this will be the year he can lose his virginity, ends up dangling on a thin rope as it all spirals out of control.
Filmed in 16mm, 79 Parts certainly looks like an old school title, and Taub goes out of his way to keep that sheen visible throughout, with a bevy of era-specific cars and a few locations that give the thing the right feel, not to mentioning the aforementioned outrageous clothes and funky soundtrack. It’s all well done considering the budget on deck, Taub deserving credit for establishing and maintaining genuine plausibility.
Then comes the story, a rather complicated mix of ups and downs that sees Dennis, of all people, as the film’s primary narrator, telling us of his double life balancing his aggressive wife (Lisa Regina) and his immigrant mistress Anna (Daniela Mastropietro). I say primary because just about everyone occasionally gets the chance to chime in as narrator, though fortunately, there’s not too much time in doing so, the bit clearly tied to Martin Scorsese‘s Goodfellas (though to be sure, Taub is hardly the first to borrow from that film).
The good thing in all this is, no matter the slow start, it gains far better traction the more it plugs along. There’s a number of clever little twists that keep the cast constantly bumping into each other, including a gaggle of inept cronies, a couple of gun-toting immigration officers, a flock of colorful street walkers (including a flamboyant cross-dresser), and many more. Taub is shooting for zany in some of this, especially in the last half, and while there are some earned laughs (and a few distracting background actors), it’s not quite a screwball comedy. Tonally, it does have its fluctuations but at least the cast are game and the story is well written. Fans of indie (and classic cars) will surely get a kick out of this. More so, it’s hard to deny the infectious good-humored approach that makes it clear we’re not meant to take any of it seriously.
79 Parts releases on VOD May 7.